Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

EU leaders finally approve coronavirus stimulus package after Hungary and Poland lift their veto

EU leaders finally approve coronavirus stimulus package after Hungary and Poland lift their veto

The latest European impasse over a much-needed stimulus package has finally been overcome, meaning cash-strapped countries will soon get access to a historic level of funding.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, European nations agreed in July to raise 750 billion euros ($908 billion) from public markets and use that money to support the economic recovery across the 27-member region. This was a significant move and came on top of 1.074 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) to be spent between 2021 and 2027.

However, the implementation of this agreement had been at risk after Hungary and Poland vetoed linking the disbursements of the funds with compliance of European values — also known as the rule of law mechanism. Both nations have been under investigation for years for allegedly influencing the appointment of top judges and discouraging press freedom — actions that go against European law.

After “long negotiations” over the last few weeks, the 27 EU countries agreed to go ahead with this link, but with a caveat: The two countries will be able to ask for an opinion from the European Court of Justice, the EU’s judicial body, so this institution can rule on whether making the disbursements conditional on the rule of law respects the European treaties.

However, it is likely that it will take more than a year for the ECJ to give its opinion, meaning that the two countries are left off the hook in the meantime. This is particularly relevant for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who faces elections in 2022.

The compromise sounds complex but it allows the EU to go ahead with making funds available quickly, while also keeping them conditional on this respect for European values — even if the latter is only likely to kick in at a later stage.


Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the compromise allowed the EU to “avoid arbitrary and political motivated decisions.”

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the deal was a “victory of common sense.”

However, the deal has raised some doubts about its legality and effectiveness.

“You cannot save the Rule of Law by breaking the law,” Guy Verhofstad, a European lawmaker, said on Twitter.

Lawmakers at the European Parliament have to approve the compromise before it becomes official practice.

“Hungary/Poland lift their veto on EU budget, after being reassured that new Rule of Law mechanism won’t be applied to them until a judgment of ECJ will define ‘methodology’ to be applied. This is not only unprecedented, but also legally questionable,” Alberto Alemanno, professor of European law at H.E.C. Business School in Paris, said on Twitter on Thursday.

There are also doubts about when the link between the funds and the rule of law would actually kick in.

Different member states and lawmakers want sanctions to be applied retroactively from January 2021, which could hurt Hungary and Poland for their ongoing standoff with the European Commission over alleged breaches of European law.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
×